OFW Corner: Bad Habits

By: Hensie Tumbagahan

Bad habits yata ang na-develop ko. I was supposed to drink a cup of milk, so why do I have a cup of coffee? 

Sayang naman kung itatapon ko ‘to. Medyo sleepy din ako, so maybe I’ll take a risk na lang of drinking this coffee. 

By the way, kapag talaga tumitindi ang competition sa isa field or company, dumadami ang crab mentality. Hep! Hindi ito ang literal na alimango like this —-> .

It is just an idiomatic expression. An idiom is a phrase whose meaning can’t be deduced just by looking at the literal definition of the words.

It’s a metaphor that means to pull someone down, discouraging or sabotaging someone.

Other types of idiomatic expressions with similar meaning are:

● Tall poppy syndrome – it is common in Australia, where people who stand out or succeed are cut down.

● Dog in the manger – when someone prevents others from enjoying something they don’t want themselves.

So please, “Avoid people who act and think like a tall poppy or a dog in the manger.”

(Thank you, AI. Ngayon ko lang din nalaman ang tungkol sa tall poppy syndrome at dog in the manger. Crab mentality lang talaga ang alam ko.) 

This is what I love about writing. I have a few ideas when I start writing but as soon as I need to clarify something, the texts just expand on their own.